Game apparatus.



Patented Dec..9, I902..- E. H. DUNBAR.

GAME APPARATUS.

- (Applicatiun filed Sept. 1a, 19o2.1

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES EVERETT ll. DUNBAR, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 71 5,249, dated December 9, 1902.

Application filed September 13, 1902. Serial No. 123,251. (No model.)

To all whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, EVERETT H. DUNBAR, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus of that class or type which comprise a projectile to be thrown by the hand and a board or surface provided with a plurality of pockets to receive such projectile.

The object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which will retain the projectile with certainty when the projectile has been thrown or tossed into one, of the pockets.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which shall be simple, inexpensive, and entertaining and which may be conveniently folded up when not in use.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View representing my invention in one of its embodiments. Fig. 2 represents a detail plan view of a portion of the table, illustrating one of the openings therein and indicating the shape of one of the pockets by dotted lines. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a plan View of my improved projectile designed for use in connection with the table or pocketed surface shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. V

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Referring to Fig. 1, the frame which I preferably employ consists of two triangles, each made of three side strips 10, of suitable material, as wood, the said strips being suitably mitered and secured together at their ends, forming the angles, belts or screws 11 being preferably employed, so that, if desired, the parts of the frame'can be taken apart. The upper and lower triangles of the frame are held apart from each other by spacing-rods 12, the ends of which may loosely fit suitable recesses in the triangles. Said triangles are held against the opposite ends of the rods 12 by tie-rods, (indicated at 13,) which tie-rodsmay, as is common with such devices, have their ends threaded and provided with nuts, so that said tie-rods may be readily removed, if desired. The arrangement of the spacingrods 12 and tie-rods 13 being a common one in the construction of different articles of furniture, I have not shown the details thereof in the drawings.

As shown in Fig. 1, the upper surfaces of the side strips 10 are provided with permanently-secured strips 14, which strips carry the stud members 15 of an ordinary type of stud-and socket fastener. The flexible table 16, of canvas or other suitable material, is provided with socket members 17, adapted to coact with the studs 15 to hold the flexible table in stretched or taut condition on the triangle or frame. This arrangement of studand-socket fastening enables the table to be readily removed when desired.

The table 16 is formed with a plurality of holes 18, underneath which are secured elongated pockets 19, the elongations of which form recesses 20, as clearly indicated in Fig.

3. The sides of the pockets are preferably substantially straight, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The projectile (see Figs. 5 and 6) which is best adapted for use in connection with the pocketed surface described comprises a circular pad-shaped or flattened casing 21, of flexible material, such as leather, and containing a filling of small loose particles 22, such as a mixture of shot and lighter objects, as indicated in Fig. i. These loose particles fill the casing closely, so that there will be no edge of the casing that might be torn or bent or doubled.

As represented in Fig. 1, the frame is so constructed that the flexible table will-be inclined. It is preferably so made that one apex of the triangle, as indicated at the right in Fig. 1, will form the highest surface for the table. The direction of elongation of the pockets is such that the recesses or extensions 20 of the pockets are in the line of the inclination of the table, so that when a person stands at some distance opposite the lower edge of the table and throws one of the projectiles toward the table said projectile if it enters a pocket will pass directly into the upper extension 20 and then if it rebounds will simply pass into the lower extension 20. Of course if the projectile strikes between the pockets it will merely slide or bound off from the flexible table; but if said projectile approaches a pocket at an acute angle and enters into suchpocket it will remain therein without risk of rebounding, as would be the case if the pockets were cylindrical, or, in other words, if the entire shape of the pocket were that represented in Fig. 4E.

The reason for forming the sides of the pockets substantially straight, as shown in Fig. 4, is to prevent undue sagging of the pocket, such as would tend to cause the projectile to rebound out of it. For instance, if the pocket were to have the shape shown in Fig. 3 in any cross-section thereof said pocket would simply hang down without obtaining the benefit afforded, as above described, of having the extensions 20.

The surface of the table may be suitably marked with numerals or other characters to indicate the degree of advancement which any player may secure by a successful effort to throw a projectile into any particular marked pocket; and it is to be understood, of course, that the projectiles themselves may be diiferently colored or bear other indications, so that it may be readily determined which pocketed projectile belongs to an individual player.

I do not limit myself to the specific arrangement or relative size of the pockets indicated in the drawings, as it is obvious that there may be a greater or less number of pockets and they may be arranged in other than a triangular order.

If desired, the lower triangle of the frame may also be provided with strips 14, having studs 15, so that another flexible table 16 may be connected therewith, which other table may have a difierent arrangement of pockets or a greater or lesser number than illustrated. In such case the table can be simply turned upside down in order to present a difierent surface to be played upon.

I claim- I 1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a flexible table having a plurality of elongated pockets, each of the pockets having a bottom longer in the plane of the table than the diameter of the entrance to form recesses or extensions adapted to retain a projectile.

2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a triangular frame, a flexible table having a plurality of elongated pockets detachably connected with said frame, each of the pockets having a bottom longer in the plane of the table than the diameter of the entrance to form recesses or extensions adapted to retain a projectile.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising upper and lower triangles, connections between said triangles for holding them in separated posit-ions relatively to each other, said connections being longer at one angle than at the others, whereby the upper triangle will be inclined relatively to the other, and a flexible table detachably connected with the upper triangle, and having pockets, the said connections between the table and the upper triangle being continuous along the edges of the table so as to hold the table taut in all directions.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EVERETT H. DUN BAR. Witnesses:

WALTER DUNBAR, FRED M. BoDwELL. 

